ASCH

• Who conducted the research supporting normative social influence in 1951?

  Asch
• What was the main objective of Asch's investigation?

  To determine whether people would choose the obvious wrong answer to conform with others
• How many male US graduates participated in Asch's study?

  123 male US graduates
• What role did confederates play in Asch's experiment?

  They were instructed to give the wrong answer during the trials
• What was the task given to the participants in Asch's study?

  To state which of the 3 comparison lines matched closest to the standard line
• In what position did the real participant answer during the trials?

  The real participant was always 2nd to last to answer
• What percentage of participants conformed at least once in Asch's study?

  74%
• What percentage of participants never conformed in Asch's study?

  26%
• What was the main reason participants gave for conforming in Asch's study?

  They feared being ridiculed by the group and complied for the desire to be liked
• What are the key findings of Asch's investigation on conformity?

  • 74% of participants conformed at least once
  • 26% of participants never conformed
  • Main reason for conformity: fear of ridicule and desire to be liked
• Evaluation: A strength of Asch's study is that it's extremely influential in terms of how conformity was understood. It provided the psychological community a paradigm which many researchers still used today. A as direct result of the study we know the pressure to fit in is genuine. This is a strength as it has implications to the real world ensuring people make the right choices in a jury.
• What is a limitation of the study mentioned in the evaluation?

  It has low population validity due to a limited sample.
• Why does low population validity affect the study's results?

  Because the results cannot be applied cross-culturally.
• Who conducted a meta-analysis related to the study?

  Bond and Smith.
• How many studies did Bond and Smith analyze in their meta-analysis?

  133 studies.
• How many countries were included in Bond and Smith's meta-analysis?

  17 countries.
• What paradigm was used in all the studies analyzed by Bond and Smith?

  The Asch paradigm.
• What did Bond and Smith find regarding conformity in collectivist cultures compared to individualistic cultures?

  They found higher rates of conformity in collectivist cultures.
• Which cultures are typically classified as collectivist?

  Eastern cultures, such as China.
• What do collectivist cultures emphasize?

  Community and the importance of fitting in.
• What do individualistic cultures like the US and UK prioritize?

  Individuality over fitting in with a group.
• Why is conformity higher in collectivist cultures?

  Because it is more desirable to be part of a group.
• What does the limitation of Asch's study imply about its applicability?

  It shows that Asch's study can't be applied cross-culturally.
• What does low temporal validity imply about a study's findings?

  It means the findings cannot be applied to modern times.
• During which era was the original study conducted that is referenced in the material?

  The McCarthyism era.
• Why was conformity strongly valued during the McCarthyism era?

  Because people were keen to fit in to avoid attracting attention and potential accusations of communism.
• Who replicated Asch's study in the UK and when?

  Perrin and Spencer in the 1980s.
• What was the outcome of Perrin and Spencer's replication of Asch's study?

  Conformity was found in only one of the 396 trials.
• What does the outcome of Perrin and Spencer's study suggest about Asch's original findings?


  It suggests that Asch's study reflects more of the societal context of its time rather than universal human nature.
• What are the implications of the findings from Perrin and Spencer's replication of Asch's study?


  • Suggests Asch's study has low temporal validity
  • Indicates societal context influences conformity
  • Highlights the need for caution when generalizing findings across different time periods
• evaluation: A final weakness is that the study can be considered unethical for many reasons. They were deceived thinking they were doing a visual judgement test and that the confederates were genuine participants. This could have led to mild psychological harm in the form of anxiety or embarrassment when it was their turn to say their answer. This is a limitation as researchers have a duty of care which Asch neglected by potentially causing embarrassment.